One Month: Our Sweet Olivia’s Story
“How fast can you get to Eugene?” were the words I heard come through the earpiece of my phone. Tears immediately started streaming down my face. “We will be on a plane first thing tomorrow” I replied, knowing my life was never going to be the same. It was 12:32 on July 1st.
My husband and I, like so many other couples, had gone through an emotional adoption process. Unsuccessful matches, infertility issues, waves of hope that were followed by periods of sadness. But that beautiful day, July 1st, was the day we were matched with our sweet Olivia.
We knew very little information before we hopped on the plane. We knew that she had been born at 5 lb 3 oz, that she was born a few weeks premature, some very vague background on the birth parents, and that she was in Oregon waiting for us.
We had less than 24 hours to prepare. My husband left his job within minutes of receiving that call. He drove home and booked all the accommodations so we could leave the next day while I wrapped up everything with my work. An amazing caseworker from the Springfield Hospital helped us setup a reservation at the Ronald McDonland House since we were unable to find any lodging (the Olympic Trails were going on).
We left our home before sunrise on July 2nd. We drove for hours, hopped multiple flights, and finally reached Eugene after more than 14 hours of travel. That night we held her for the first time. Love at first sight… it’s real. We are completely smitten. We’ve never felt such joy. We are so grateful to be “mom” and “dad” to this sweet girl.
Our adoption process was extremely complex – nothing went according to the plan. We were delayed time and time again. We were unable to come home for many weeks. With Olivia being a preemie NICU baby, we were told to get her home and provide the most stable and sterile environment we can while she developed a stronger immune system. We want to thank the Ronald McDonald House for providing us the most stable living situation we could have had while we waited for weeks to come home. Without the generosity of that establishment, we would have been Ubering around and bouncing from hotel to hotel. We will never be able to truly thank the McDonald House and their staff for providing us with a peaceful sanctuary during this adoption process. We are so grateful for you!
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